I appreciate having opportunities to visit our schools and see teaching and learning in action. After my last walkthrough at DHS, I was eager to spend time at Alden last week to see how learning takes shape at that critical stage in a student’s journey.

For about an hour, I took a tour with Principal Rebecca Long, Superintendent Danielle Klingaman, and Assistant Superintendent Beth Wilcox. What stood out during our time together wasn’t just the instruction happening in classrooms, but the shared sense of purpose among educators, leaders, and families—all pulling in the same direction for students.

In several ELA classrooms, I observed lessons from the district’s newly adopted Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA) curriculum. The program had gone through a months-long pilot from September through February, and one teacher explained how the pilot team did far more than just test-drive the curriculum. They studied it closely, found opportunities to improve it, and shared their strategies with colleagues once CKLA was adopted school-wide. It was a great example of how teachers in Duxbury shape their tools with intention and share best practices. In my view, that kind of peer-driven professional learning, as opposed to top-down implementation, is a hallmark of a strong culture.

One of the most memorable moments came in a fifth-grade ELA classroom, where students were busy working in small groups. Without missing a beat, Rebecca, Beth, and Danielle each found a group, sat down, and joined the learning activity. It was a genuine show of presence and participation. We often hear during School Committee meetings that our administrators value time in classrooms. This was a moment where that value came to life.

Earlier that morning, I met a group of parent volunteers preparing to lead students through a series of interactive science stations. The program—part of a partnership between the town of Duxbury and the North and South Rivers Watershed Association—was held in Alden’s Makerspace, a resource made possible through a generous grant from the Duxbury Education Foundation (DEF). That moment reminded me how fortunate we are in Duxbury to have a community that contributes so much to student learning—not just time and energy, but also expertise, creativity, and resources.

It’s one thing to hear about programs and policies in School Committee meetings. It’s another to see them alive in classrooms. These visits help me better understand not just the work, but the people behind it. I’m proud to serve a community so deeply committed to its students.